Device for facilitating the putting on of stockings



axch 21, 1967 J. CLAUSS 3,310,209

DEVICE FOR FACILITATING PUTTING ON OF STOCKINGS Filed Sept. 27. 1965 1 NVEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,310,209 DEVICE FOR FACILITATING THE PUTTING 0N 0FSTOCKINGS John Clauss, 1517 Saddle River Road, Fair Lawn, NJ. 07410Filed Sept. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 490,318 Claims. (Cl. 223-111) Myinvention is directed generally to devices assisting in the putting onof stockings and the like, and is directed particularly to an improvedand simplified device for facilitating the putting on of stockings byinvalids or others handicapped in not being able to bend the legs orbody to the extent necessary to put on stockings in the usual manner.

In many instances, handicapped persons having only limited bendingcapabilities of the body and legs are required to wear tight-fittingsurgical stockings and the like in the treatment of circulatorydisorders. Since such stockings are even more difficult to put on thanordinary hose, many tools have heretofore been devised for assisting thehandicapped wearer in this process. Such devices as have been proposed,however, are deficient in that they are either unduly complicated andexpensive, or ineffective for general use.

It is accordingly the principal object of my inventior to provide animproved and simplified device for facilitating the putting on ofstockings, whether socks, ordinary stockings, or elastic or surgicalstockings, by persons having limited bending capacity in the legs or atthe waist.

It is a more particular object to provide an improved device of theabove nature comprising an open-ended panlike slide member adapted toreceive the foot and including means to receive and retain the toe endof a stocking over the toe end of the slide member before applying thefoot therein, and further including a strap attached to the heel end ofthe slide member for remotely pulling the slide member together with thestocking over the heel and up over the leg of the wearer.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described which will be simple and compact in construction,low in cost, fool-proof in operation, and long wearing in use.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description when read with reference to theaccompanying drawings. In the drawings, wherein like reference numeralsdenote corresponding parts through the several views:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a device for facilitating the putting on ofstockings embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view similar to that of FIG. 2, but shownwith a stocking in place preparatory to placing the foot therein; and

FIG. 4 illustrates the use of the device in pulling the stocking overthe heel and leg of the wearer.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, designates, generally, thedevice embodying the invention, the same being comprised of a pan-likeslide member 11 having a flexible strap 12 attached at one end. Theslide member 11, which may conveniently be fabricated of sheet aluminumbent into shape, or alternatively molded of a strong synthetic plasticmaterial, is in the general shape of a deep pan, open at each end andcomprising a bottom portion 13 and upwardly-extending side walls 14, 15.The front or toe ends of the side Walls 14, 15 are rounded off, asindicated at 16, 17, respectively, to merge with the front corners ofthe bottom portion 13. The slide member 11 is formed with a plurality ofoutwardly-extending protrusions 18 arranged in transversely spacedrelation in the bottom portion 13 and slide walls 14, 15 at a positionapproximately one-quarter the length of the device in from its heel end,there preferably being three such protrusions in said bottom portion andtwo in each of said walls, as illustrated. If made of sheet aluminum,for example, the marginal edges of the slide member 11 are preferablybent over to provide a smooth peripheral bead 19.

The strap 12, which may be of supple leather or of a resilient syntheticplastic, for example, is preferably about two and one-half feet long andis aifixed at one end against the underside of the bottom portion 13 ofthe slide member 11 at the heel end thereof as by rivets 20.

-In use, a stocking will first be placed over the toe end of the slidemember 11, as illustrated in FIG. 3, with the leg of the stockingbunched up in accordion-like fashion behind the protrusions 18. Thefront of the foot will then be placed well within the slide member sothat toe end of the stocking covers the front of the foot, after whichthe strap 12 will be pulled upwardly by its outer end, the strap beinglong enough to be Within easy reach of the user. As illustrated in FIG.4, the resultant upward sliding of the slide member 11 over the heel andthe back of the leg of the user carries along the stocking S, whichslides off over the protrusions 18 as it advances in covering relationover the leg. It has been found that if the stocking is unusually closefitting, a long-handled pair of tongs T can be used with the free handto aid in pulling the stocking over the front of the leg, as isillustrated in FIG. 4.

While there is illustrated and described herein only one form in whichthe invention can conveniently be embodied in practice, it is to beunderstood that this form is presented by way of example only, and notin a limiting sense. The invention, in brief, comprises all theembodiments and modifications coming within the scope and spirit of thefollowing claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for facilitating the putting on of stockings comprising, incombination, an elongated U-shaped slide member having a bottom portionand opposed side walls upwardly extending from said bottom portion, thefront ends of said side walls at one end of said slide member beingrounded off to merge with said bottom portion, said slide member havinga flexible strap secured to and extending outwardly of the other end ofsaid bottom portion, said slide member having spaced and laterallyaligned outwardly extending protrusions formed inwardly of said otherend, said outwardly extending protrusions adapted to frictionally retainthe open-ended leg portion of a stocking which has been bunched inaccordion fashion about said slide member.

2. A device for facilitating the putting on of stockings as defined inclaim 1, wherein said side walls are of such height adapted to extendbeyond the upper portions of a normal human foot placed in said slidemember, whereby the foot portion of a stocking placed over said slidemember will be supported in spaced relation above a foot ReferencesCited by the Examiner spaced in said slide member.

3. A device, for facilitating the putting on of stockings UNITED STATESPATENTS as defined in claim 1, wherein the edges of said slide rnem-2,796,207 6/ 1957 Young 223111 ber are bent over to provide a smoothperipheral bead. 5 2,828,057 3/1953 MacLaughliIl 223-111 4. A device forfacilitating the putting on of stockings 3,165, 46 1/ 1965 Stearns223l18 as defined in claim l, wherein said slide member is made FOREIGNPATENTS of aluminum material.

5. A device for facilitating the putting on of stockings 343,094 1/1960SWltZeflafldas defined in claim 1, wherein said slide member is made 10of plastic material. JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

1. A DEVICE FOR FACILITATING THE PUTTING ON OF STOCKINGS COMPRISING, INCOMBINATION, AN ELONGATED U-SHAPED SLIDE MEMBER HAVING A BOTTOM PORTIONAND OPPOSED SIDE WALLS UPWARDLY EXTENDING FROM SAID BOTTOM PORTION, THEFRONT ENDS OF SAID SIDE WALLS AT ONE END OF SAID SLIDE MEMBER BEINGROUNDED OFF TO MERGE WITH SAID BOTTOM PORTION, SAID SLIDE MEMBER HAVINGA FLEXIBLE STRAP SECURED TO AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY OF THE OTHER END OFSAID BOTTOM PORTION, SAID SLIDE MEMBER HAVING SPACED AND LATERALLYALIGNED OUT-